The father of former Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis has been arrested over allegations he molested two minors.
Greek Australian Nikolaos Philippoussis was taken into custody on Tuesday after being arrested at his home in Mira Mesa in northern San Diego, with police reporting he offered no resistance.
The 68-year-old tennis coach was taken to the downtown San Diego Central Jail following an investigation conducted without his knowledge that was based on at least two complaints to local police from students he was coaching.
“He didn’t know we were coming,” said Lieutenant Greg Rylaarsdam from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Central Investigations Unit.
“In this particular case we are in the infancy of the investigation.
“On lots of cases we go all the way to the end and get all of our facts in order and all of the evidence lined up and then we go out and arrest somebody.
“But in a case like this where there is the potential of ongoing victimisation we developed probable cause and went out and arrested him when we had that.”
The alleged victims according to reports by the San Diego Union-Tribune were under the age of 14.
Philippoussis was booked into jail on 14 counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, including two counts of committing sexual acts with a child younger than 10 years old.
“They’re felony charges which carry state prison potential,” Lieutenant Rylaarsdam said.
“There are two victims, both minors, and we’re not identifying their sex at this time.
“At this point, nothing indicates that there are other victims, but anyone with information about this case should call us.”
Philippoussis has been segregated away from mainstream prisoners due to the nature of the complaints.
Meanwhile his bail has been set at US$2.5 million (A$3.2 million), and he is set to face arraignment on Friday when he will be asked to enter a plea.
According to reports by 9NEWS, Mark, 40, who is also based in the US, refused to comment on the arrest of his father when approached on Wednesday.
Philippoussis was his son’s coach and mentor for a significant part of his professional playing career, and saw him through to being ranked eighth in the world.